(19)
(11) EP 3 228 558 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
27.11.2019 Bulletin 2019/48

(21) Application number: 15845282.1

(22) Date of filing: 06.08.2015
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B65D 39/16(2006.01)
B67B 1/04(2006.01)
B65D 39/12(2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/ES2015/000105
(87) International publication number:
WO 2016/046424 (31.03.2016 Gazette 2016/13)

(54)

SELF-EXTRACTING STOPPER

SELBSTEXTRAHIERENDER STOPFEN

BOUCHON AUTO-EXTRACTIBLE


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30) Priority: 22.09.2014 ES 201400765

(43) Date of publication of application:
11.10.2017 Bulletin 2017/41

(73) Proprietor: Tapointel S.L.
15707 Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña) (ES)

(72) Inventors:
  • GONZALEZ VALENCIA, Juan
    E-46901 Torrente (Valencia) (ES)
  • VIDAL MARTINEZ, Jose Andres
    E-15680 Ordes (La Coruña) (ES)
  • GOMEZ VIETES. Jose
    E-15689 Sta. Cruz de Montaos (La Coruña) (ES)
  • VIDAL IGLESIAS. Jesus
    E-15707 Santiago de Compostela (La Coruña) (ES)
  • VIDAL IGLESIAS, Julio David
    E-15705 Santiago de Compostela (La Coruña) (ES)

(74) Representative: Fernández-Pacheco, Aurelio Fernández 
Lerroux & Fernández-Pacheco C/Claudio Coello, 124, 4° izquierda
28006 Madrid
28006 Madrid (ES)


(56) References cited: : 
EP-A1- 1 184 295
DE-A1-102006 043 003
DE-U1-202011 005 544
NL-C2- 1 023 994
US-A- 4 480 424
CN-U- 201 566 920
DE-A1-102006 043 003
DE-U1-202011 005 544
US-A- 3 674 055
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The invention included in the scope of this application and the design brief consists of a self-extracting stopper as an opening and closing procedure of bottles and containers for liquids or fluids.

    [0002] Mastery of this technique and the industrial application field are included in the sector of reusable stoppers that do not require instruments or tools to remove or introduce them into the containers and bottles openings, as they can simply be removed by hand.

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION



    [0003] According to state of the art analysis, no other product has identical or even similar features.

    [0004] Thus, the purpose of the invention offers key advantages for its application, not covered by other similar or alternative means.

    [0005] The self-extracting stopper allows liquid or fluid bottles and containers to be stopperped without the need for corkscrews or any other tool.

    [0006] With only the strength of the hand, and more specifically, the thumb and index finger making small turns in the wing nut included, it can be extracted from the bottleneck where it is installed, and replaced again, following the same steps in reverse order.

    [0007] The seal achieved with the self-extracting stopper also allows for a better preservation of the bottle content, preventing it from oxidising due to air entry, but when required, the interior of the container can also be oxygenated using optional devices on the stopper itself.

    [0008] There is a prior patent with reference DE 202011005544U1 Closure for an opened bottle, in particular a carbonated beverage, characterized by a stopper to be inserted in the neck of the bottle, having on a portion of its length between a lower (10) and an upper punch (4) a cylinder (6) made of an elastic material, wherein a threaded bolt (2) extends from the lower punch (10) through the cylinder (6) and the upper punch (4) to a screw handle (1) supported on the upper punch (4) and the threaded bolt (2) at the top of the screw handle (1) and bottom in the lower ram (10) engages in a fitted threaded disc (7) and is rotatably connected at the top with the screw.

    DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:



    [0009] The self-extracting stopper consists of a set of parts, each with a different role and all of them working for a unique result: opening and closing bottles and containers for liquids or fluids.

    [0010] A moving wing nut, of which the diameter of the wings does not exceed the bore of the bottleneck, can be extracted from it by sliding it over a square head screw, which can be extracted by rotating the wing nut.

    [0011] This square head screw has, before the screw coils, a cylindrical male that rests on a drum, through which the screw coils' axis is introduced until it reaches a nut sealed by a cork cover.

    [0012] Between the drum and the nut, a cylinder made of flexible material allows, through aspiration between the drum and the nut, to be compressed and expanded towards the outside, closing the bottleneck.

    [0013] Once the operation is carried out, the wing nut is pushed in and the entire set remains inside the bottleneck, flush with its opening.

    [0014] Moreover, the invention is intended to be convenient and easy to use and similarly, its removal or disposal is also easy and convenient, causing no harm to the environment.

    [0015] To complement the description below and in order to gain a better understanding of the features of the invention, the following design brief includes a drawing sheet which facilitates understanding of the innovations and advantages of the device included in this invention.

    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:



    [0016] In order to understand the range of features and advantages of the purpose of the invention, the model, application and brief includes a drawing that complements the description of a preferred mode of execution that will be carried out next, the content of which is not limiting but merely illustrative.

    [0017] Figure 1 shows the entire set, and the inner lines of the parts in the hidden devices are shown using slides.

    FIGURE -1-



    [0018] 
    1. 1) CORK COVER
    2. 2) NUT
    3. 3) FIN
    4. 4) NECK OF THE NUT
    5. 5) FLEXIBLE CYLINDER
    6. 6) DRUM GUIDE NECK
    7. 7) DRUM WINGS FITTINGS
    8. 8) DRUM
    9. 9) ANTI-ROTATION FITTING
    10. 10) DRUM HOLE
    11. 11) TREAD AREA OF THE MALE SCREW
    12. 12) SCREW
    13. 13) GROOVES
    14. 14) MALE
    15. 15) WING NUT
    16. 16) SQUARE HEAD
    17. 17) WING NUT FIN
    18. 18) SQUARED WING NUT FITTING
    19. 19) SCREW SQUARE HOLE
    20. 20) WING NUT TAB

    DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED MODE OF EXECUTION:



    [0019] Figure 1. The seff-extracting stopper is sealed on the side touching the liquid, with a cork cover (1) welded to the nut (2) which has radially distributed anti-rotation fins (3) resting on the neck of the nut (4).

    [0020] The flexible cylinder (5) has holes for the nut (2) fins (3) to prevent the nut from rotating when introducing the screw (12).

    [0021] The flexible cylinder (5) is axially perforated to allow the drum guide neck (6) and its wings into the drum wings' fittings (7).

    [0022] The drum (8) has two opposing anti-rotation fittings (9) to prevent the drum (8) from rotating when the flexible cylinder (5) expands inside the bottleneck,

    [0023] In turn, the drum (8) has a central hole, drum hole (10) for the screw to get through (12) and around the drum hole (10) there is a tread area, tread area of the male screw (14) where it rests and the whole screw does not get through, (12) thus causing the nut (2) to compress the flexible cylinder (5).

    [0024] The screw (12) in turn has grooves in its coils, (13) and on the series of coils, a cylindrical male (14) which ends in a hollow square head (16) with screw square hollow (19).

    [0025] The wing nut (15) equipped with protrusions, fins of the wing nut (17) upon which to rest the fingers: thumb and index and make it turn, has a square shaped hollow inside it, as a squared wing nut fitting (18) for the square head (16) of the screw, which extends along the entire wing nut (15).


    Claims

    1. Self-extracting stopper for a container, comprising a wing nut (15), a screw (12), a drum (8), a flexible cylinder (5), a nut (2) and a cork cover (1), whereby

    - the screw (12) has a threaded section (13), and a not threaded section (14), which ends in a square head (16);

    - the wing nut (15) has wing nut fins (17) that allows a user to manually turn the stopper by using thumb and index fingers and therefore extract and/or replace the stopper from the bottleneck of a container where it is installed, the wing nut further comprises a squared wing nut fitting (18) for the square head (16) of the screw, and a groove (20) along its axis to facilitate its withdrawal it from the container;

    - the drum (8) has anti-rotation fittings (9) on one side, and anti-rotation wings (7) on an opposite side incorporated radially on a drum guide neck (6), the drum further comprises a drum hole (10) that allows passage of the threaded section (13) of the screw but does not allow passage of the not threaded section (14);

    - the nut (2) is screwed by the threaded section (13) of the screw (12), and has anti-rotation fins (3) attached to a neck (4) of the nut;

    - the flexible cylinder (5) is located between the nut (2) and the drum (8), and is axially perforated to allow the passage of the drum guide neck (6), the flexible cylinder further presents on opposite sides fittings for the drum wings (7) and fittings for the anti-rotation nut fins (3) to prevent the nut from rotating when introducing the screw (12), whereby, when the screw (12) is screwed into the nut (2) the flexible cylinder is compressed between the drum and the nut, expanding towards the walls of a bottleneck of the container where it is installed, therefore putting pressure on them and closing the bottleneck; and

    - the cork cover (1) is welded to the nut (2) sealing the side of the stopper touching the liquid in the container.


     
    2. Self-extracting stopper according to claim 1, wherein the cork cover (1) is perforated in its central part, so that oxygen may get inside the container, or is not perforated in its central part, so that oxygen may not get inside the container.
     
    3. Self-extracting stopper according to claim 1, wherein the drum guide neck (6) embraces the neck (4) of the nut (2) allowing it to slide up and down the axial direction without rotation.
     
    4. Self-extracting stopper according to claim 1, wherein the screw (12) is screwed onto the nut (4) by means of the coupling between the square head (16) of the screw (12) and the square wing nut fitting (18), wherein turning of the wing nut (15) rotates the screw (12).
     
    5. Self-extracting stopper according to claim 1, wherein the wing nut (15) slides on the screw (12) thus having at least two positions:

    - a transport position wherein the wing nut (15) is lowered within the neck of the container, and

    - a working position wherein the wing nut (15) slides to the top so that the wing nut fins (17) are left outside the neck of the container so it can be turned by the user thus turning the screw to either:

    - decompress the flexible cylinder (5), therefore allowing the extraction of the stopper from the container, or

    - compressing the flexible cylinder (5), therefore sealing the stopper in the neck of the container.


     


    Ansprüche

    1. Sich selbst herausziehender Stopfen für einen Behälter: umfasst eine Flügelmutter (15), eine Schraube (12), eine Trommel (8), einen flexiblen Zylinder (5), eine Mutter (2) und einen Korkdeckel (1), wobei

    • die Schraube (12) einen Gewindeabschnitt (13) und einen Abschnitt ohne Gewinde (14) hat, der in einem Vierkantkopf (16) endet;

    • die Flügelmutter (15) Flügelmutter-Lamellen (17) hat, die es einem Nutzer ermöglichen, den Stopfen manuell mit Daumen und Zeigefingern zu drehen und somit den Stopfen aus der Engstelle eines Behälters, in dem er installiert ist, herauszuziehen und/oder zu ersetzen, wobei die Flügelmutter zusätzlich eine quadratische Flügelmutter(18) für den Vierkantkopf (16) der Schraube und eine Nut (20) entlang ihrer Achse hat, um sein Herausziehen aus dem Behälter zu erleichtern;

    • die Trommel (8) auf einer Seite Verdrehsicherungsbeschläge (9) und auf einer gegenüberliegenden Seite Verdrehsicherungsflügel (7) hat, die radial auf einem Trommelführungshals (6) angeordnet sind, wobei die Trommel zusätzlich ein Trommelloch (10) hat, das den Durchgang des Gewindeabschnitts (13) der Schraube ermöglicht, aber den Durchgang des nicht mit Gewinde versehenen Abschnitts (14) nicht zulässt;

    • die Mutter (2) durch den Gewindeabschnitt (13) der Schraube (12) verschraubt ist und Verdrehsicherungsrippen (3)hat, die an einem Hals (4) der Mutter befestigt sind;

    • der flexible Zylinder (5) zwischen der Mutter (2) und der Trommel (8) angeordnet und axial perforiert ist, um den Durchgang des Trommelführungshalses (6) zu ermöglichen, wobei der flexible Zylinder zusätzlich auf der gegenüberliegenden Seite Anschlüsse für die Trommelflügel (7) und die Verdrehsicherung der Mutterlamellen (3) hat, um eine Drehung der Mutter beim Einführen der Schraube (12) zu verhindern, wobei, wenn die Schraube (12) in die Mutter (2) eingeschraubt wird, der flexible Zylinder zwischen der Trommel und der Mutter komprimiert wird, wobei er sich zu den Wänden der Engstellen des Behälters hin ausdehnt, in dem er installiert ist, wodurch er Druck auf sie ausübt und die Engstellen schließt; und

    • der Korkbelag (1) mit der Mutter (2) verschweißt ist, die die Seite des Stopfens abdichtet, die mit der Flüssigkeit im Behälter in Kontakt kommt.


     
    2. Sich selbst herausziehender Stopfen nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Korkabdeckung (1) in ihrem zentralen Teil perforiert ist, so dass Sauerstoff in den Behälter gelangen kann, oder in ihrem zentralen Teil nicht perforiert ist, so dass kein Sauerstoff in den Behälter gelangen kann.
     
    3. Sich selbst herausziehender Stopfen nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Trommelführungshals (6) den Hals (4) der Mutter (2) umschließt, so dass er in axialer Richtung ohne Drehung auf und ab gleiten kann.
     
    4. Sich selbst herausziehender Stopfen nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Schraube (12) mittels der Kupplung zwischen dem Vierkantkopf (16) der Schraube (12) und der Vierkantmutter (18) auf die Mutter (4) aufgeschraubt ist, wobei durch das Drehen der Flügelmutter (15) die Schraube (12) gedreht wird.
     
    5. Sich selbst herausziehender Stopfen nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Flügelmutter (15) auf der Schraube (12) gleitet und somit mindestens zwei Positionen hat:

    • eine Transportposition, in der die Flügelmutter (15) im Hals des Behälters abgesenkt ist, und

    • eine Arbeitsposition, in der die Flügelmutter (15) nach oben gleitet, so dass die Flügelmutterlamellen (17) außerhalb des Halses des Behälters verbleiben, so dass sie vom Nutzer gedreht werden können, wodurch die Schraube in beide Richtungen gedreht wird:

    • Um den flexiblen Zylinder (5) entweder zu dekomprimieren, wodurch die Entnahme des Stopfens aus dem Behälter ermöglicht wird, oder

    • den flexiblen Zylinder (5) zusammenzudrücken, wodurch der Stopfen im Hals des Behälters abgedichtet wird.


     


    Revendications

    1. Bouchon auto-extractible pour un récipient, comprenant un écrou papillon (15), une vis (12), un tambour (8), un cylindre flexible (5), un écrou (2) et un couvercle en liège (1), dans lequel

    • la vis (12) présente une section filetée (13) et une section non filetée (14) qui se termine par une tête carrée (16) ;

    • l'écrou papillon (15) comporte des ailettes d'écrou (17) qui permettent à un utilisateur de tourner manuellement la butée en utilisant le pouce et l'index et donc d'extraire et/ou de remplacer la butée du goulot d'étranglement d'un récipient où elle est installée. L'écrou à ailettes comprend en outre un raccord à écrou carré (18) pour la tête carrée (16) de la vis, et une rainure (20) suivant son axe pour faciliter son retrait du récipient ;

    • le tambour (8) comporte des raccords anti-rotation (9) d'un côté, et des ailettes anti-rotation (7) sur le côté opposé incorporées radialement sur un col de guidage de tambour (6). Le tambour comprend en outre un trou de tambour (10) qui permet le passage de la partie filetée (13) de la vis mais ne permet pas le passage de la partie non filetée (14) ;

    • l'écrou (2) est vissé par la section filetée (13) de la vis (12), et dispose d'ailettes anti-rotation (3) fixées à un col (4) de l'écrou ;

    • le cylindre flexible (5) est situé entre l'écrou (2) et le tambour (8) et est perforé axialement pour permettre le passage du goulot de guidage du tambour (6). Le cylindre flexible présente en outre sur des côtés opposés des raccords pour les ailes de tambour (7) et des raccords pour les ailettes d'écrou anti-rotation (3) afin d'empêcher l'écrou de tourner lorsqu'on introduit la vis (12), selon lequel, lorsque la vis (12) est vissée dans l'écrou (2), le cylindre flexible est comprimé entre le tambour et l'écrou, s'étendant vers les parois d'un goulot d'étranglement du récipient où il est installé, exerçant ainsi une pression sur elles et fermant le goulot ; et

    • le couvercle en liège (1) est soudé à l'écrou (2), scellant ainsi le côté de la butée qui entre en contact avec le liquide dans le récipient.


     
    2. Butée auto-extractible selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle le couvercle en liège (1) est perforé dans sa partie centrale, de sorte que de l'oxygène peut pénétrer à l'intérieur du récipient, ou n'est pas perforé dans sa partie centrale, de sorte que l'oxygène ne peut pas pénétrer à l'intérieur du récipient.
     
    3. Butée auto-extractible selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le col de guidage de tambour (6) englobe le col (4) de l'écrou (2), lui permettant ainsi de glisser vers le haut et vers le bas dans la direction axiale sans rotation.
     
    4. Butée auto-extractible selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle la vis (12) est vissée sur l'écrou (4) par le biais d'un raccordement entre la tête carrée (16) de la vis (12) et le raccord de l'écrou papillon carré (18), où la rotation de l'écrou papillon (15) fait tourner la vis (12).
     
    5. Butée auto-extractible selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle l'écrou papillon (15) glisse sur la vis (12), ayant ainsi au moins deux positions :

    • une position de transport dans laquelle l'écrou papillon (15) est abaissé à l'intérieur du col du récipient, et

    • une position de travail où l'écrou papillon (15) glisse vers le haut de telle sorte que les ailettes de l'écrou papillon (17) sont laissées à l'extérieur du col du récipient, afin qu'il puisse être tourné par l'utilisateur, tournant ainsi la vis pour :

    • soit décomprimer le cylindre flexible (5), permettant ainsi l'extraction de la butée du récipient, soit

    • comprimer le cylindre flexible (5), scellant ainsi le bouchon dans le goulot du récipient.


     




    Drawing








    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description